1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to an apparatus for securing a personal watercraft to another vessel. More particularly, this invention pertains to rack assembly adapted to lift and carry the watercraft out of the water. The rack assembly is attached to another vessel or a platform.
2. Description of the Related Art
Personnel watercraft are powered water vessels that carry one or more persons in a manner similar to riders of a motorcycle where the riders sit astride the vehicle. Watercraft are typically smaller than traditional water vessels and are often used with other watercraft, such as houseboats, pontoon boats, or platform boats.
There is a need to secure and transport watercraft during the period the watercraft are in the water, but not being used. It is known to use a crane or davit secured to another vessel or dock to hoist or lift a watercraft out of the water. Such a system, because of the lever arm involved, places high stress at the connection of the davit to the vessel or dock deck. Further, such a system requires that the davit have a height sufficient to accommodate the height of the watercraft as it is lifted out of the water. Additionally, it is desirable to be able to secure and transport watercraft without using valuable deck space on the vessel.
Several patents disclose various apparatus for storing watercraft or other small water vessels. U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,600, titled “Telescoping Personal Watercraft Jet Track,” issued to Egan, et al., on Feb. 18, 1997, discloses an apparatus for loading and unloading a watercraft into a pickup truck bed 50. The Egan apparatus includes two telescoping ramp members 21, 22 forming a ramp assembly 20 that is connected to a support frame 12 positioned inside the truck bed 50. The watercraft is positioned on a sled 40, which is mounted on one telescoping member 22. A winch system 60 pulls the telescoping members 21, 22 together, and as the center of gravity passes the pivot point 32, the telescoping members 21, 22 pivot until they are parallel with the upper surface of the support frame 12. U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,991, titled “Combination Watercraft Transportation System and Dolly,” issued to Hamlett on Mar. 19, 2002, discloses another apparatus that includes a rack adapted fit to a pickup truck T in which a water vessel is winched onto a rail mechanism 12. The system 10 includes a pair of pivotal legs 13 and a hand crank 52 for racking the rail mechanism 12 into the truck T for transporting the watercraft.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,788, titled “Vehicle Mounted Carriage and Elevating Apparatus,” issued to Sutton on Jun. 23, 1981, discloses an assembly 10 for elevating and carrying a small boat on a land vehicle, such as a pickup truck. The apparatus 10 includes a support 20 and a rear post frame 60 mounted to a truck bed V, and a carriage 80 with bolsters 92 for supporting a boat. The carriage 80 is lowered into the water and a hook on a cable 93 attached to the winch 98 is secured to the boat. The winch 98 pulls the boat on the carriage 80 out of the water. Another winch 100 connects to a lifting line, or cable, 95 and a plurality of pulleys 27, 45, 25, 90, and winch 100 is used to rotate link frame 40 about pivot pins 50 from a substantially horizontal position to a vertical position, thereby elevating the boat and shifting the boat over the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,007, titled “Personal Watercraft Mooring and Transportation System,” issued to Benton on Jul. 8, 1997, discloses a personal watercraft mooring system 10 in which the watercraft 34 is moored to another water vessel. The mooring system 10 includes a receptacle 38 in which the watercraft 34 is driven onto, and the receptacle 38 buoyantly supports the watercraft 34. The receptacle 38 is generally V-shaped to accommodate the watercraft 34 as it slides into the receptacle 38 and is nestled therein. The sidewalls of the receptacle 38 confine and provide support to the watercraft 34 when it is partially out of the water. The receptacle 38 is attached to the vessel 12 with a coupling 66, which can be rigid, include pivots 70, or includes supports 80 for a vertical displacement mount 82.